Member 2906
by Dreaming Blue Sky
Summary: The concert replayed in my mind as I hummed what I could remember with a small smile playing my lips. It was indescribable, the way they sang. It was something I had never experienced before. I realized that they weren't fame-hungry idols, just after the glory or the money. They were stars. *Rei's POV* Set near beginning of Sailor Stars season.
1. First Concert

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or its characters. The rights go to Naoko Takeuchi.

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Member 2906

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Well, I tried.

I tried so hard, but it was becoming impossible to stay strong. And failure was becoming sweeter by the second. So sweet and so tempting. My mind was slowly giving in to the enticement as my resolution came crashing down. I could for just a moment, right? A moment couldn't hurt.

I had my head supported with my hand with the other loosely clutching a copy of _Jonathan Swift's_ _Gulliver's Travels_. My eyelids felt heavy, as if weights were attached to them. The stern, shrill voice of my teacher Sister Izumi faded into a muffled, buzzing hum, the words no longer reaching my ears. The need for sleep won victoriously the battle of staying awake as my eyes finally closed and refused to open again. I could hardly believe I was sleeping in my English Literature class. I was getting as bad as Usagi.

"Miss Hino? Miss Hino!" Sister Izumi sharply exclaimed. Her sharp tone flinched me awake. I could feel heat creep into my cheeks and my stomach twist in guilt, aware that everyone's eyes were on me.

Sister Izumi's beady eyes were glinting at me with folded arms from where she stood behind her desk, sternly gripping another copy of _Gulliver's Travels_ _._ For the first time, I noticed how much she resembled a vulture with her glaring eyes, beaked nose, and the way her shoulders were always tensed as she hunched over. The strange feeling of being roadkill grew in my gut.

I had to swallow to get rid of the lump that was forming in my throat.

"Laziness will not be tolerated, Miss Hino," she shrilly warned me before returning to the book, reading the rest of a selected passage to the class.

I briefly glanced at the clock that was secured above the teacher's head. Released a sharp exhale when I saw the black hands reading 3 o'clock. A half hour still remained.

Quickly blinked my eyes, trying to dispel the drowsiness. I fixed what little focus I still had on the pages in front of me, suppressing the urge to yawn. I could still feel the weighted gaze of Sister Izumi across the room, causing my impending fate as roadkill to come back. My eyes blankly skimmed the paragraphs in an act, comprehension getting lost somewhere between page and my brain.

Thank Kami, I thought as the final bell rang, signaling the completion of the day.

"For homework, write a paper analyzing Part 1. Your analysis should include themes, motifs, major characters, and the irony Swift used. I expect a minimum of two pages the day after tomorrow," Sister Izumi sternly projected over the sound of chairs scraping back as the class rose from their desks. Stiffly bending at the waist, we bowed to show our respect as our teacher left the room.

I fell back in my chair, resting my face on the coolness of my desk. I took a deep breath into my lungs, closing my eyes to recover some degrees of fatigue. Why did I answer the phone last night? I mentally cursed myself. Had I known it was Minako who just wanted to talk about a new boy band, I would have buried the stupid phone in the garden or thrown it in the Holy Fire for the sake of my sacred sleep. I sighed exhausted, recalling my mistake of a simple button. Who knew Minako could talk about a band for nearly three hours?

I swear if she could turn that focus to her schoolwork, she could compete with Ami.

My communicator watch sounded a series of beeps, alerting me to someone's call. I peeled my cheek off the desk and flipped open the watch. Minako's face appeared, bright and wide awake, I noted enviously, despite talking well past midnight the night before.

"I'll meet you outside Tokyo Dome in _three hours_ ," she said as if I knew what she was talking about. "I know last night I said I would meet up with you after school, but there's something I need to do before the concert."

Concert? What concert?

I searched my memory for any clue to what she was talking about. I could only vaguely recall her mentioning already paying for an extra ticket or something. Did I say I would go to a concert with her?

"Just wait until you hear Three Lights. You'll love them so much you'll die!" She exclaimed. "Gotta go. Bye!" With that, she hung up on our one-person conversation.

"I'll die, huh? Can't wait," I muttered to no one as I closed the communicator. I looked at the watch. If I hurried home, I could get in some sleep before the concert.

I pushed my body off the chair, gathering my books and pencil in my black schoolbag. With eyes half-shut, I navigated to the bus stop two blocks away by memory, the result of following the same routine everyday. I climbed onto the bus, slumping into the nearest empty seat that was by an open window. Fresh spring air pushed through and into my lungs, removing some of my fatigue.

I pulled out my music player to pass the 20 minute ride, putting on the headphones. On the woken screen was displayed _Borns-Seeing_ _Stars_ , a song that currently held my interest. I lost myself between the beat and the scenery passing the window. The leaves on the trees had just started growing back in shades of green. Birds chirped and cooed. The air was fresh and alive with the feeling of new life. I took another deep breath, perceiving the faint scent of grass carried by the breeze. A calmness settled in my bones as the bus rumbled and huffed steadily. Part of me wished to stay like this for hours, but I couldn't.

My thoughts wandered to Three Lights.

Sure, I've heard of them before. It's difficult to go to an all-girls school and not know who the hottest boy bands are. And based on word around the school, they were very handsome. But I've never heard any of their music. I never had any interest. From what I've heard, they just sounded like idols after fame, especially after hearing how their _fanbase_ expanded faster than lightning, almost reaching three thousand people not even a week after their debut.

Yes they were popular, but that didn't mean they were good, right?

Fame was only an indicator of how likable they were to a general audience or, as Minako once put it, how high their "hotness factor" is. It wasn't a measure of skill or artistry. At least that was how I saw it.

The bus finally hissed to my stop, breaking my train of thought. Paying the fee, I quickly stepped off the bus and headed the rest of the way to the Hikawa. After five minutes, I reached the base of the staircase. A wave of fatigue hit me as I lazily climbed the stairs. Felt like I would die before reaching the top.

I dragged to my room, tossing my schoolbag and jacket to the floor and collapsed on my bed. Two hours later I managed to wake up, just in time to get ready and reach Tokyo Dome on time. Quickly took a hot shower, wrapping my hair in a bun to keep it from getting too wet. The hot water washed away any lasting effects of my exhaustion from earlier. I put on a white, button-up blouse and black shorts after drying off, letting my long hair down. I had to leave the messy strands, knowing I was already running late. Grabbing my wallet and a pair or black sandals, I hurried down to the bus stop.

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Minako was waiting in front of Tokyo Dome for me with something white draped over an arm. The creases of her frown could be seen miles away. Her impatient blue eyes searched the crowd like a hunter looking for game. That makes me prey twice today. I sighed as I approached her, wondering if she would give mercy.

"There you are! The concert's about to start," she exclaimed, while shoving a bundle at me.

"What is this?" I asked as I held in front of me. It unfolded to be a white T-shirt with _I Three Lights_ prominently on the front in big red letters. Then I noticed she was wearing the same shirt with a yellow skirt and white flip-flops.

"Just put it on and shut up!" she demanded, dragging me by the arm inside, not giving me even a millisecond of protest.

The lights went out in the dome shortly after we found our seats. Anticipation clung to the air, causing the hum of excited chatter to gradually quiet into a suffocated silence, like everyone was holding their breath. I glanced over at Minako who was clutching her hands to her heart, staring bewitched with an excited smile at the dark stage. I shifted uncomfortably in that stupid shirt, looking around. It seemed everyone was in a similar pose as Minako, all leaning forward in anticipation. A couple rows ahead and a little to the right, my eyes caught short blue hair. Ami? I wondered. I leaned to get a better look, but the girl next to the blue hair shifted, completely blocking my view.

I flung myself back into the seat with my arms folded, exhaling sharply. It couldn't be Ami, could it? She didn't seem to be the type to listen of anything Minako liked. It would be the first time their opposite tastes converged which was highly unlikely to ever happen.

One by one, lights flicked on to reveal the three idols in suits posing on the stage, each holding a rose. Waves of screams and cheers exploded from the large crowd. Also exploded my ears. I distinctly heard one girl near me yell "Taiki! I love you!" and another "Marry me Seiya!" I snorted.

The music began, quieting the screaming a little, but not much.

Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten sang with a strong passion that easily overpowered their _adoring_ fans. Their voices blended in perfect, smooth harmony, each with a tenderness and focus that I never imagined. Especially from a teenage boy band.

The entire space was flooded with their sound, beckoning, calling out, searching. Rising and falling, it pulled my senses in like a strong tide, slowly drowning in the warm timbre. Love. Heartache. Longing. Regret. I could feel everything in their words.

I felt tingling run up and down my arms, goosebumps coating my skin.

Beautiful. They were beautiful.

Silver hair caught my attention, shining under the spotlight. Like a halo.

My eyes locked onto his movements like they were magnetized.

The expression on his pale face was serious and furrowed as he sang fervently into the microphone. Passion and longing brightly flashed in his emerald eyes as he stared into the distance like the audience wasn't there, like he was somewhere else only he knew. He thrust an open hand out in front of him and pulled it back to his chest, almost desperately.

My attention stayed fixed on him the rest of the concert, fascinated. A bright warmth shone from his body, flowing down from the stage like a river of light, washing over the crowds of starstruck fans.

As bright as a star. Warmer than the sun.

I never knew a person could shine like he did.

A shudder shook my shoulders with chills swimming down my body, my heart thudding hard against my rib cage. There was something, something that went deeper than the lyrics, the instruments, and their voices. Something that sank beneath my skin and rumbled my bones.

Almost like a murmur, but not. A message, but about what? For whom?

I didn't realize when the concert ended. I sat in the same daze that everyone was in before, staring at the empty stage. Minako grinned at me, nudging with an elbow.

"So, who's your favorite?" she asked suggestively. "It's Yaten, isn't it?"

"What? No! Don't be ridiculous!" I defended. I could feel my face heat up as Minako narrowed suspicious eyes at me. How the hell did she guess? "Can we go home now? I'm tired and leagues behind on homework," I said in an effort to change the subject before my face gave away anything. I stood up and headed for the exit, indicating that I didn't want to delve in that subject anymore.

"I thought for sure you would like Yaten," she said, catching up to me.

"Who?" I asked, distracted. I could have sworn on Kami that I saw Ami walk past just then. I tried to find her again to confirm, but she was gone as quickly as she appeared. Minako sigh frustrated next to me.

"Whatever. Keep denying it all you want, but the Goddess of Love always knows." She winked knowingly. I rolled my eyes. "See you later," she said before turning left to get to the bus that would take her home.

"Hey, you forgot my shirt!" I called after her.

"Keep it. I have a feeling you want it," she replied over her shoulder.

I went right, snorting at Minako's comment. The moon shone brightly, bathing the streets and sidewalk in milky light. A nice evening breeze brushed past, bringing with it the same peace from earlier. I decided to walk home. I wanted to relish in the dead peace of the night. I looked at the stars scattered across the black sky as I walked, taking a deep breath of the cool night air.

The concert replayed in my mind as I hummed what I could remember with a small smile playing my lips. It was indescribable, the way they sang. It was something I had never experienced before.

I realized that they weren't fame-hungry idols, just after the glory or the money. They were stars.

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Hiya! (^o^)/

Thanks for reading!

I don't know if I'll continue this or not yet. Maybe, maybe not. I'll try and see what happens :)

I hope you enjoyed!


	2. A Study Break

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

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A Study Break

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"What time is it?" Minako asked, looking up from the magazine she was flipping through.

"Does your watch not tell time?" I countered absently, my focus remaining on this frustrating math problem. I heard her scoff.

"Yes, as a matter of fact it does," she said in a very obvious tone. "But I forgot it at home."

Really, how irresponsible could she be? I thought, frowning at the array Minako spread out on my table. Forgetting her watch and communicator, but remembering to bring a few comic books, a magazine, some CDs, and posters and magazine clippings of Three Lights. Also brought a multitude of pens for some unknown reason. Maybe the pens were her attempt to show she somewhat considered doing homework.

"2:58."

A shriek erupted throughout my room, possibly the whole city, startling me so much that one hand streaked the pencil across my math homework while the other grabbed my transformation wand.

"'The Z File of Young Holmes' is almost on! Quick, turn on your TV!" she yelled, scrambling to reach the TV set, knocking a few pens onto the floor in the process.

"Minako, we're supposed to be studying," I scolded. "That's why it's called a _study_ group."

"Oh please, Ami isn't even here. We might as well relax," she said over her shoulder as she searched for the right channel.

"Huh! Judging by your grades, you could do with a little less relaxing."

"Shhh! It's starting."

I sighed, putting my transformation wand back in my pocket, turning to my work. As I started writing down the next problem, I saw the line running straight through every problem I had done, thanks to Minako. I sighed again as I took on the challenge of erasing the line while preserving my work rather than starting over on a clean sheet.

I swear it must be her secret superpower to interfere with my efforts to get good grades.

A squeal of delight distracted me from solving this 3 variable system of equations, which was hard enough without the television on. I saw Three Lights appear in the opening credits. Oh, that explains it, I mused to myself, coming back to my problem. I pursed my lips in frustration. I had tried to solve it in three attempts by now and none of the solutions worked. Where was Ami when you needed her?

"You sure you don't want to watch? Yaten is in it," Minako chided, wiggling her eyebrows up and down suggestively.

I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose while inhaling deeply, trying to regain some patience. Dealing with Minako while solving this equation was proving to be much harder than I expected.

"All I'm saying is I think you'll like the show. After all, I wasn't wrong about you liking Three Lights." That was all Minako said, aware that my patience was running thin.

That one stupid problem took me almost 20 minutes to solve. Part of the reason was that I kept getting distracted. And I still had 12 problems to do. Damn! At this rate, I would never finish as long as Minako was here.

"This is supposed to be a study group," I muttered to myself. Evidently, Minako heard since it was a commercial break.

"There's no need for a study group anymore, Rei. We all got into high school, so we don't need to study anymore."

I snorted at her logic. "You know you still have to graduate high school, right?"

"Shh!" She flapped her hand at me, leaning closer to the screen. The show was back on. The suspenseful music rose, pricking my interest. I leaned to watch over her shoulder. The detectives played by Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten were searching a large house. At night, of course. "No! Don't go downstairs by yourself. Why do you think splitting up is a good idea? When is that ever a good idea?" Minako shouted. Taiki, in Holmes' classic trench coat, was in the basement, shining a flashlight around the room over various shapes covered in cloth—what looked like a vanity set, a couch, chairs and a table, a grandfather clock. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, as soon as his back was turned, what looked like a grandfather clock started walking after Taiki, the cloth dropping to the floor.

I put down my pencil and went to sit next to Minako. Figured I needed a break for a little while anyway.

The scene switched to Yaten and Seiya who were searching upstairs. Seiya went off to search the master bedroom on one side of the hall while Yaten went to the other side to a guest room. Since the culprit wasn't there, he turned to leave. On his way out, he found a framed photo on the desk of two people, a man and a woman sitting on the hood of a car. The music intensified as he examined the photo, the deep cello eerily louder as single piano notes sounded a haunting high melody. Then it went to commercial.

"Who was in the photo?" I asked.

"The man in the photo is the suspect they're looking for. The other was his wife who died in 1990 in a car accident."

"Why are they looking for him?"

Minako sighed in annoyance at having to explain the whole thing. "In the last episode, there had been a series of high profile art thefts, mostly from museums and art galleries. But the last theft was from a private art collector's home that unexpectedly ended in murder because they thought the owner wasn't home. They brought that guy in for questioning because security footage at a nearby gas station caught his face shortly after the crime took place. But they found some DNA at the crime scene that wasn't a match with him. Since they had no other strong leads, they had to let him go. The next night, a cop from their precinct was found murdered in an alley. In this episode, they found camera film hidden in the cop's pocket of the suspect they let go and a woman with the only piece of artwork that was stolen from the collector's home. But the photo only showed the man's face, not the woman's. Then, they got an anonymous tip that their suspect was hiding out in his home."

Just as soon as Minako finished her explanation, the commercial break was over.

As Taiki was walking back towards the staircase, the floor creaked behind him. He turned around just in time to catch the culprit's arm holding the knife before it stabbed him. Taiki pushed him away, shoving him into a picture hanging on the wall, shattering the glass covering. The man lunged again, Taiki dodging. Seiya and Yaten heard the noise from upstairs. Seiya ran downstairs. Just as Yaten was about to follow, he heard a thump in the closet. He cautiously went to open it, gun at the ready. Again, the tense music swelled. He abruptly opened the closet door, quickly aiming his gun inside. There was a woman cowering with her hands up in front of her.

"No way!" Minako and I said unison.

"That's the wife!" I exclaimed.

" _Please help me! My husband is going to kill me,"_ she pleaded. _"This was all his idea, faking my death to collect my life insurance money, blackmailing me with insurance fraud to commit those crimes with him. Now he's going to kill me because you found my DNA at the crime scene. I ruined his plans."_

Yaten slowly lowered his weapon.

Taiki was now pinned to the floor, struggling to keep the knife away from his neck. Just as it seemed that Taiki would lose the struggle and be killed, Seiya ran down to the basement."Use your gun! Use your dang gun!" Minako screamed. Quickly, he pulled out his gun and shot the man in the head. "Yes! Go Seiya! You're the best!" she cheered.

" _Thanks,"_ Taiki said as Seiya helped him up.

" _Now we just need to find his accomp—"_ Seiya was cut off by a gunshot.

Both of them ran upstairs, opening every door until they came across the guest room. Yaten was on the floor, bleeding from his left shoulder with the woman standing beside him with his gun in her hand. She let out a laugh as they entered the room.

" _I owe you thanks for taking care of my dear husband for me. I'm glad you got my 'anonymous tip'. Now I don't have to share my profits. But,"_ she paused, aiming the gun at them, _"I'm afraid this is where you end."_

The screen went black followed by the sound of two gunshots. Then the end credits played.

"What?" Minako squawked. "No! They can't leave us on a cliffhanger again! They can't just shoot Yaten and probably Seiya and Taiki too and not tell us what happens next!" She fell over dramatically onto the floor. "I hate cliffhangers!" she declared. I turned the TV off and went back to math, leaving Minako on the floor. She began groaning incoherent sentences. The only phrases I caught were "stupid producers" and "make us wait another month". When it didn't seem like she would stop anytime soon, I got my notebook and raised it, ready to whack her with it to get her quiet.

"Sorry I'm late. I found this new recipe and—" Makoto said as she opened the door. She stopped in her tracks, seeing me ready to smack Minako with a notebook who was splayed on the floor, limbs sprawled out and hair covering her face, still complaining. "What did I miss?" She raised her eyebrows humorously at me. She grinned at the evident relief on my face. Makoto could calm Minako down and I could finally finish my homework. Thank Kami!

"The worst cliffhanger _ever_!" Minako said in despair. Makoto and I exchanged knowing looks. _She gets way too deep into television._

"It'll be okay, Minako," Makoto said reassuringly, sitting down next to her. "I brought cookies."

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I'm back with another chapter...finally! What can I say, procrastination is my curse :)

Special thanks to _Sol Levine, Kou Helena,_ and _Lexie._ Your reviews always give me strength

and always put a smile on my face. I always love hearing from you! Also thanks to all who read. I hope you enjoyed

this snippet of an afternoon with Minako and Rei as Minako once again foils Rei's attempt to do homework.

~Dreaming Blue Sky~

*The show "The Z File of Young Holmes" is a reference from episode 173.


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